‘When we sleep, the virus sleeps too’: Pakistan cleric’s Covid-19 logic

An argument given by a cleric in Pakistan in battling the Covid-19 crisis is making the internet go crazy. In an undated clip, the cleric is seen telling the people to sleep more if they want to avoid getting the coronavirus disease.

“Our doctors always recommend us to sleep more. The more we sleep, the more the virus sleeps. It won’t harm us. When we sleep it sleeps, when we die, it dies,” the cleric is heard saying in the video clip.

When we sleep, virus sleeps. When we die, virus dies. Simple. pic.twitter.com/F3cDrEzOZV

— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) June 13, 2020

The footage was posted on Twitter by journalist Naila Inayat.

“Why he couldn’t tell this science before...!!” said a Twitter user Indian Mulgi.

????????????, why he couldn’t tell this science before...!!

— Indian Mulgi ???????????????? (@In__Search) June 13, 2020

“So, basically it’ll copy ur actions? It’s a Chiese virus, so it will copy. I hope ppl there don’t commit suicide after listening to this amazing theory,” tweeted @pari_tweets.

So, basically it'll copy ur actions?
Chinese virus hai na, copy hi karega, original kaise ho sakta hai.. ????????????

I hope ppl there don't commit suicide after listening to this amazing theory.— к๑๑ℓт๑α∂ (@pari_tweets) June 14, 2020

“Sir, which medical or scientific concept can define this logic,” said a Twitter user Dr Sarkar.

@prat1112001 @netshrink @KalyanDevi
Sir, which medical or scientific concept can define this logic ????????— Dr Sarakar (@Nkt31997603) June 14, 2020

The number of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan reached 1,35,702 on Saturday. Out of the total number of cases, 51,518 are in Sindh, 50,087 in the Punjab province, 17,450 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 7,866 in Balochistan, 7,163 in Islamabad, 1,044 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 574 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

There are 820 hospitals with COVID-19 facilities in the country and nearly 9,000 patients are admitted across the country, while others are recuperating in self-isolation at homes, according to the country’s health ministry.

The government closed down nearly 1,300 hotspots, including several areas in capital Islamabad, on Saturday due to fast spreading of the deadly disease.

Meanwhile, Pakistan medical goods watchdog has approved the first indigenously made testing kit for the novel coronavirus.

Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that the kit was developed by the scientists at the army-run National University of Science and Technology (NUST).

The kit was approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) after it completed successful rounds of trials.